Flying Without Wings
by CarolzofBellz
Summary: <html><head></head>Naruto half jokingly stated one time that love between an angel and a devil would probably end in a disaster. And to some extent, he's right. A simple love story between two opposite beings. SasuNaru, AU. Reviews are appreciated!</html>


**A/N: **This may be my first SasuNaru fanfic, but be rest assured because this is not my first time writing in general. I have been lurking in this fandom for years now and I felt as if it was finally time for me to shine and write a fanfic myself. Haha. Enjoy! :)

**Disclaimer: **This is disappointing, but yes, Naruto is not owned by me. Period. Hurhur...

**Warning: **Shounen-ai~ And I apologize to those who absolutely love to read sex scenes. I, for one, am a fan of those as well, but I just cannot write them. So, I'm sorry. Ah, and my font may be completely different than other authors'. For some reason, I wrote out the dialogues in italics and trust me - I never do that. But this story has driven me to, so please bear with it...

Oh! And the title was inspired by the song, "Flying Without Wings" by Westlife.

* * *

><p>They met at the early, presumed age of four or five when they were both placed in the foster care located in a peaceful town called Konoha.<p>

Naruto was the first one to be found - in a state of unconsciousness with merely a long, white bed sheet to cover him up, lying on a bench in a local park by an elderly woman who happened to be on her daily stroll. The police looked after the boy for a few days as they tried to trace his identity, only to have detected none. They placed him under a foster care that was run by a humble man named Umino Iruka (the one who ended up naming both Naruto and Sasuke). Because of his pure and bright aura, Naruto was quick to make friends with the other children there.

Whether it was a coincidence or not, Sasuke was found in front of a lake with a distant expression on his face, clad in all black; just a couple of days after Naruto was put into the foster home. Like Naruto, his identity couldn't be traced either – almost as if he hadn't existed in the world at all. He was forced to inhabit the same foster home that Naruto occupied in, and unlike the other, everyone avoided Sasuke like the plague. The boys were all scared of the dark atmosphere that he seemed to give off while the girls were highly attracted by it, but too shy to actually come near. Being the naturally antisocial person that he was, Sasuke didn't care to mingle in with the others. Either it'd been the fact that he was too shy to or he just hated the people around him – and no one dared to figure out which one it was. Sasuke was perfectly fine with living life this way until Naruto decided to barge in.

It was a month later when Naruto and Sasuke became best friends. Past aside from the physical (Naruto being tan, blond, blue-eyed, shorter, and Sasuke being pale, brunet, black-eyed, taller) and personality (Naruto being an extrovert; hyper, loud, friendly, and Sasuke being an introvert; quiet, calm, virtually scary) differences between them, it was Iruka who believed that there were bound to be some similarities.

Naruto had innocently asked Iruka one day about the loner who was reading a thick book in a corner – _Why does everyone say he's evil? Is he dumb?_

Iruka only chuckled and replied back – _No, he isn't evil and it's not nice to call someone dumb. Why don't you go over there play with him, Naruto?_

Naruto shook his head – _But he scares everyone and I feel something evil when I get close. _Iruka raised an eyebrow in half amusement. Naruto continued – _And I see black things around him. It's cold. _

Iruka slowly raised his eyes to look at the boy ahead of them, a fragile being in his vision. After a moment of listening to chattering children in the background, Iruka began to speak again – _That boy is just like you, Naruto. He came here knowing nothing of his past and without an identity. So he needs to be loved and cared for - just like how you are right now. _He said the last part like he was making a declaration for himself rather than for the child next to him.

Iruka lowered his eyes onto Naruto and smiled. Naruto, he thought, is like an angel on Earth. Ever since Naruto was placed under his care, Naruto had brightened up the foster home and made it a warm place to reside in. He even went so far as to get Gaara and Neji to break out of their shells and cooperate with other people, which was an amazing feat. Gaara and Neji used to be like how Sasuke was: dark, broody, and unsociable - but Naruto altered that. Even though he just about compelled the two to get along with everyone else by using stubborn antics, the result still turned out to be remarkable in the end. Now, Gaara and Neji were able to converse. Although they were really small conversations, it made Iruka entirely happy to know they weren't going to be isolated anymore. Since Naruto was able to change them, Iruka strongly believed that the child would also be able to break down Sasuke's inner defense.

Iruka gently placed a hand upon Naruto's head and ruffled his hair – _And I want you to be the first one to give Sasuke that love and care. Wouldn't it be nice to have another friend?_

Naruto positioned a hand beneath his head and tapped a finger against his chin as if he was taking something into deep consideration. At last, he smiled – _I guess it will be cool to have another friend! _He then shook off Iruka's hand that was on his head and headed towards the figure in the corner.

_Ah! His name is Sasuke, right? - _Naruto asked sheepishly as he turned around, scratching the back of his head habitually.

Iruka blinked and laughed lightheartedly – _Yes, his name is Sasuke. Now, go along._ Naruto gave a mock salute before he sauntered to the other side of the room. The same smile still played on Iruka's lips. _I wouldn't be surprised if he really turned out to be an angel._

When Naruto finally reached his destination, he looked over the kid's shoulder in hopes of getting a glimpse of the book that Sasuke was reading. He grimaced, noticing that there were no pictures on the pages – _Hey Sasuke, I'm Naruto. Wanna play with me?_

Sasuke made no sign to acknowledge the boy behind him and read his book, undeterred.

Naruto scowled – _I'm talking to you, hey! _Still, no response. Naruto harshly grabbed onto Sasuke's shoulder and pulled, bringing the latter's back to the floor. He sat astride on Sasuke's stomach, threw Sasuke's book across the room, and pinned the other down with a glare – _Why are you always by yourself? Don't you know that everyone thinks you're scary because of that?_

_I don't care _– the answer was immediate and soft.

_W-what? – _Naruto felt himself shiver while he looked into Sasuke's eyes, eyes empty of devotion and full of cold- hatred. They weren't like the eyes of a child.

Sasuke tilted his chin up and looked at Naruto, making it seem like he was the one who was looking down on the other. His tone was cold as well – _I don't care about anyone. I only care about myself_.

A loud slap resonated the room. The children gradually became quiet.

Naruto's eyes broadened in fury - _How could you think that way? Don't you know that everyone here wants to be your friend? How can you only think about yourself when everyone cares about you, huh?_

By now, everyone in the room had their attention diverted to the pair on the other side of the room. Iruka looked like he was about ready to walk over there until Sasuke talked – _Don't lie. I hate liars. _His eyes were a little wide from the impact he took to his cheek, the mentioned part currently shaded in light pink.

_I don't lie! _– Naruto claimed, slightly unsure with his own comment. Then, he grinned with a sudden, profound confidence – _Well, I know for sure that I care about you now._

A small crease formed in between Sasuke's eyebrows – _Are you stupid?_

Naruto had the decency to look aghast at the question. He scrunched up the front of Sasuke's shirt in his fist and lifted the other to meet his face, not caring about the way Sasuke cringed at the proximity – _You're the one who's stupid, stupid! Now, stop reading and come play with me! _He finished rather lamely as he let go of Sasuke's shirt to back away, not accustomed to being so close to someone physically.

Sasuke could only vacantly stare – _You're not scared of me?_

_Why would I be scared of you? _– Naruto answered back with another question, furrowing a brow – _And you call me stupid! Do you think I would have gotten so close to you if I was scared?_

Sasuke set his lips into a thin line – _No, but-_

Impatience drove Naruto to grab onto Sasuke's hand and haul him to a basket full of toys, not giving Sasuke time to reply – _Just shut up and play with me! Sheesh!_

That was the last thing Naruto said before he got Sasuke to play Legos with him. And astonishing everyone, including Sasuke himself – Sasuke had stopped refusing and actually played with the extremely persistent blonde.

Sasuke wasn't sure if he was prepared to face a huge change in his life, but he figured Naruto would be there to guide him through it all. Like Iruka had hoped, Naruto was the first- if not, only – person to give Sasuke love and care. The two became best friends.

Iruka beamed and the children resumed to what they were doing previously.

* * *

><p>It was seven years later when they found out about their true natures; Sasuke being a devil and Naruto being an angel.<p>

Sasuke was the first to be exposed to this aspect when he and Naruto were hanging out together in a deserted park after school. Occasionally after dismissal, Naruto and Sasuke chose to hang around before going back to the foster home. Usually, it was whenever they got their grades distributed to them and Naruto didn't want Iruka to be chasing him around the house so early on. They had gotten their report cards that day and as expected, Naruto hadn't done so well in all of his classes.

_Ugh, what's the point of having report cards?_ – Naruto had exclaimed unintelligently after he managed to climb on top of the monkey bars, his hands gripping onto two of the metal bars behind his rear while his legs precariously hung over the long bar below his thighs. There was a huge distance between the floor and the monkey bars so Naruto always enjoyed sitting on them to gaze up at the clouds - tinted with orange and red hues. Naruto fell deeply in love with the sky and used the monkey bars as a way of being close to it.

Sasuke, being the type of person who didn't want to waste energy unnecessarily simply decided to stand next to the monkey bars, on the side closest to Naruto. He silently looked at Naruto as he leaned his arms against the railings. At this point, Naruto had his eyes closed – almost as if he was trying to guard himself from the wind that gently prodded at his face. Sasuke couldn't refrain from thinking that Naruto looked serene, on the borderline of being utterly beatific. Of course, he didn't dare to share this with his best friend.

He sighed – _To show our guardians how well we're doing in school. Start studying for once, dobe._

Naruto opened his eyes to glare down at Sasuke, his little moment of tranquility gone with the wind – _Stop calling me that, I am not a dobe! _

The main reason why Naruto absolutely despised getting report cards was because Sasuke started to call him "dobe" when their class teacher, Kakashi announced that Naruto had gotten the lowest grades in the class. Considering how the most admired student in class was calling him that, his classmates began to call him that as well. And Naruto didn't like it at all. It made him feel insignificant and not worthy enough to be labeled as Sasuke's best friend. Naruto had declared to himself that he will become smart, athletic, and talented like Sasuke was – something akin to a rivalry was brewing. But no matter how hard Naruto tried at fulfilling his goal (unknown to everyone, Naruto actually studied and trained his skills more than Sasuke did), he seemed to be getting further and further away from accomplishing it. It was very frustrating.

_I'm going to continue calling you that until you get higher grades – _Sasuke muttered, another sigh escaping through his lips.

What Naruto didn't know was that Sasuke really liked how his best friend was utterly hopeless in any criteria. Naruto had everything Sasuke craved for – the charms that easily gained him new friends everyday, loose expressions, and the ability to make people love him just by smiling at them. With Sasuke's pride in the way, he turned out to be the polar opposite of Naruto – emotionless, admirable but only for his talents and intelligence, and highly attractable to those of the opposite sex for his "godly" appeal.

And Sasuke would never admit out loud that his admiration for the blonde was slowly transforming into something he'd deny of for eternity; it was just too embarrassing. Lately, he'd get jealous whenever Naruto would get pulled away from Sasuke by his friends or whenever Naruto would grin more to his friends than to the pale brunet. Each time that occurred, Sasuke saw Naruto as a shining light that not only he needed, but that everyone else did as well. He hated himself for feeling this way. For feeling possessive.

_Hmph, meanie _– Naruto huffed and the air was filled with silence again. Naruto returned to gazing at the clouds, leaning his weight onto his hands a bit more. He drew in a deep breath and calmly let it out – _Why don't you ever get on the monkey bars with me, Sasuke? _– he asked in a lazy tone.

Sasuke didn't bother to shake his head, knowing that Naruto's view was too occupied with the clouds – _You never tell me to. _Sasuke rolled his eyes as Naruto slid over to make room – _What makes you think I'd get on now, idiot?_

Naruto scoffed incredulously – _Stop your whining and just get on._

Sasuke was about to retort that he was not even close to whining before he sighed, finding no point in arguing with the idiot. He raised his foot onto the rail as he grabbed onto the two poles on each side and put strength into his foot and arms to hoist himself up. Just before he managed to get his other leg up, the foot that was on the rail slipped and he lost complete balance.

Naruto watched in horror as Sasuke fell forward – _Sasuke!_

Sasuke panicked once he saw the floor hurriedly coming nearer in his view. He clenched his eyes and waited for the crash, opening them when he felt himself stop in midair. _What -_

By that time, Naruto was approaching Sasuke with wide eyes – _Sasuke, what…?_

Naruto's curiosity matched Sasuke's own while Sasuke looked at his surroundings, realizing that he was indeed floating right above the ground. The way Naruto stared over him was what made Sasuke raise his arms, hands coming in contact with soft, silky material. _Feathers?_

Naruto was the first to talk after what seemed to be like a long period of silence – _Wings? Sasuke, you have wings…_

_But how…? _– Sasuke asked, leveling down to the floor. He inclined his head to the side to see that there were undeniably, wings on his back. _They're black…_

Naruto looked thoughtful, suddenly envisioning a creature that he had heard and read about in stories – _Sasuke, you're a devil! _It was extraordinary how his tone took on a more cheerful one – _Oh my gosh, that is so cool! You can fly and god, those wings are so cool! _

Sasuke closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, shaking his head whilst Naruto kept on rambling about ridiculous things. His blond friend even began to flail wildly. Leave it to Naruto to believe that devils are actually cool beings when they're known to be gruesome to most people.

_Ah _– Naruto paused, having registered devils' real characteristics a little too late. He stared at Sasuke hesitantly and gulped – _You're not evil, right?_

Sasuke rolled his eyes and sighed for what probably seemed to be the umpteenth time that day – _What makes you think I'd be evil after I sprout some wings? _He crossed his arms – _I'm still the same, dobe._

_Grr, I told you to stop calling me that! _– Naruto screamed unnecessarily, aiming an index finger at Sasuke's face. He lowered his hand and looked up in thought – _Well, I guess it's not really all that surprising to know you are a devil. _

Before Sasuke had a chance to reply, Naruto continued – _I mean, you kind of do act like a devil. You have no family, the girls all like you for no reason, you're really really smart,_ _you can do almost anything perfectly even though you don't practice much, and you can practically hypnotize anybody that comes near you. _Naruto scrunched his eyebrows in wonder – _But for some reason, I don't act like them when I'm constantly near you. Hmm…_

Sasuke opened his mouth to utter something, but closed them when he couldn't form any words. What Naruto said dawned on him – it actually seemed to make perfect sense. As for not being able to deter Naruto was unclear to him as well. Was it because Naruto was close to him since the very beginning? Sasuke inwardly disagreed to that idea. No, because the other foster kids around him were affected by him. Then what –

_Gah, all this thinking makes my head hurt! _– Naruto shouted and grabbed onto his head for emphasis, breaking the brunet's inner train of thought. He slid his hands down his face and looked at Sasuke in the eyes – _So, can you fold your wings back in?_

Sasuke raised a brow, wanting to know for himself. He crouched forward a little as he felt the feathers close in, brushing against his shoulder blades and completely disappearing from sight. He straightened himself up to speak – _I guess they'd unfold and fold under my will. _Sasuke didn't reject the feeling of amusement that emerged.

And Naruto was just as amused – _I'd really like to see the look on Kiba's face_ _when I tell him that my best friend is a real devil. _Naruto was excited and he showed that by mischievously rubbing his hands together – _I can finally be popular like you!_

Sasuke scowled – _No, you are not telling anyone about this._

Naruto gaped, instantly feeling dejected – _What, why? Sasuke, people would think you're cooler if they know that you're a devil!_

_They'd be afraid of me – _Sasuke responded harshly – _you're the only idiot to think that devils are harmless. Don't you dare tell anyone about this, Naruto._

Naruto was taken aback that Sasuke had used his name when he rarely did. Sasuke was dead serious about this. Naruto exhaled heavily in defeat – _Fine, you jerk. Let's go home, I'm tired. _Naruto yawned and stretched his arms above his head.

Sasuke's eyes were giving out the fact that he was exhausted as well. They began their walk home in silence, uncomfortable in Sasuke's part. After walking down a block, Sasuke asked the question that had been playing in his mind, making sure to not let his worried emotion become apparent on his face – _You're not scared?_

Naruto hummed curiously – _Now why would I be scared?_

Sasuke refused to look towards Naruto – _Because I'm a-_

_You're my best friend, Sasuke – _Naruto interrupted, turning his head to the side to look at Sasuke – _like a brother to me. Nothing will change that. _He employed his famous smile once he saw Sasuke look at him through the corners of his eyes, missing the very light flush that spread out on Sasuke's cheeks.

Sasuke defiantly chose to remain silent on the rest of the way home.

As soon as Naruto had found out about his own immortality, he eagerly dragged a very sleepy Sasuke into a secluded room of the house and made sure to lock the door. This was the day after they had discovered Sasuke's hidden wings.

Naruto explained he thought there'd be a slight chance that he, too, would have wings, so he had woken up earlier than everyone else that morning to confirm the possibilities. Sasuke was forcibly jerked out of his tired state when Naruto unexpectedly spread out feathered limbs from his back - slightly arched at the ends. Sasuke felt a warm sensation bubble in the pit of his stomach at the sight; the sun rays that shown through the window shades caught onto the wings at certain angles, making Naruto look all the more serene (-_beautiful)_. In contrast to Sasuke's black wings, Naruto's were white. He was an angel.

And Naruto was highly disappointed with that. He exclaimed how he wished to be a cool devil like Sasuke and Sasuke thought it was very Naruto-like for him to say something like that. Sasuke then forced Naruto to keep being an angel as a secret – stating false reasons like: how other people would react in a negative manner if they were to find out. Well, they weren't entirely false per se. Sasuke just didn't wish to admit that he wanted Naruto's angelic form to be seen by him and him only. It was a childish thing to do.

Naruto might've believed that devils were cooler, but to Sasuke… Let's just say he couldn't obtain the willpower to hold himself back from subconsciously falling in love with the angel even more.

* * *

><p>They shared their first kiss three years later - Naruto being the one to initiate it. It happened on the day they flew (Naruto managed to get Sasuke to fly with him through constant provoking) home from school, stopping on top of a random roof before arriving there.<p>

Ever since they found out about their wings, Naruto took advantage of his and soared through the skies at every opportunity he got. Sasuke, labeled as the best friend, undeniably got pulled along by the blonde every time. Sasuke warned Naruto each time about how they'd get caught one day, but the latter never listened and continued to do as he pleased. Taking into account that they didn't get caught in three years made Naruto want to fly more so than usual. Sasuke was no match to stop the incredibly stubborn angel.

While Sasuke didn't take his role seriously, Naruto was the total opposite. Naruto felt that as an angel, he was supposed to be the one to bring good and make the world a better place. The world was too huge for only one angel to look after, so he settled for Konoha instead. At first, he took on small tasks like making people happier and helping those in need. It didn't take long before Naruto decided to tackle bigger jobs like hunting down criminals, getting himself beaten in place of others, or giving up his food entirely to those that didn't have anything to feed on. When Naruto's health worsened over time, Iruka became worried and Sasuke ended up literally knocking some sense into Naruto's brain, forcing the younger teen to live like how he did previously. Sasuke ensured to watch out for Naruto more carefully.

They seemed to be getting closer and closer together as time flew by.

_Hey Sasuke, you kissed a lot of girls, right? What's it like? _– Naruto drawled randomly, calmly watching the clouds float in the sky. On a high rooftop, Naruto and Sasuke sat side by side – the distance between them small enough to have their arms barely brush against each other.

Sasuke didn't divert his gaze away from the ocean above – _What brought you about to ask that? And you should know dobe. You kissed that girl not too long ago _– he said, lightly gritting his teeth. His tone held a diminutive amount of aggression.

Naruto didn't catch it. He sighed; too used to the insult Sasuke called him by – _Well, that kiss was way too short. How am I supposed to remember when our lips barely made contact? _– he cried, slowly inclining his head to look at the other.

Over the years, Sasuke deliberately involved himself with the female population and dated several of them, intent on trying to disregard his affections for his best friend. Although all of them ended within a few weeks, kissing was something that couldn't be denied of in most intimate relationships, so Sasuke was included to the addition. Sasuke stopped dating completely when he realized that the distractions didn't work at all - his feelings for the blond teen merely intensifying amidst them.

Naruto was the less experienced one of the two, having dated one girl for a month. Because of his busy attempts at bringing Konoha at peace, he didn't have time for romance. He dated a shy, timid girl named Hinata after she achieved in confessing her love to him, saying that she loved Naruto for a very long time. The confession was rather awkward (stuttered throughout the whole thing), but Naruto wanted to give the sweet girl a try. Unfortunately, the relationship lasted a month for reasons that still weren't clear to Naruto. Hinata stated that Naruto was way too attached to his best friend and made it difficult for her to intrude on their unbreakable bond. Before Naruto got to have a say in anything, Hinata had politely stolen his first kiss and ran away.

Sasuke scowled lightly – _That girl wasn't good enough for you._

Naruto grunted in frustration – _Stop insulting her and answer my question! What's it like to kiss, Sasuke? _– He asked for the second time, gripping onto the edge of the roof.

Sasuke stilled in silence for a second before he parted his lips to speak – _Nothing. It's nothing special _– he elaborated with an air of finality. He surprised Naruto as he closed his eyes, inaudibly breathing in the gush of wind.

Naruto jolted out of his stupor after he realized that he had been staring at the brunet. He scooted back to regain his composure – _What do you mean it's nothing? A lot of my friends tell me that it is fun to kiss, that it feels good! _

Naruto looked down a little and blushed, remembering the couple he had witnessed in the act during lunch. He'd been curious lately as to why couples looked like they enjoyed kissing their significant other so much. Seeing as to how Sasuke was more experienced in this field, Naruto wanted the older teen to be the one to answer his questions. But now, Naruto couldn't help but be embarrassed.

Sasuke surprised Naruto again by catching Naruto's gaze in his own – _Why do you want to know so much? _He sounded nearly innocent.

Naruto shrugged off Sasuke's statement and looked away, feigning a good stance – _Sasuke, you wouldn't kill me for requesting something ridiculous, right? _The shiver in his voice showed his discomfort.

Sasuke arched a brow, urging Naruto to go on with his words.

Naruto breathed in deeply to reassure himself. He looked Sasuke back in the eyes – _Kiss me _– he ordered, full of confidence.

Sasuke remained quiet, his expression changing into that of a confused one.

_Kiss me _– Naruto repeated – _Or would it be too disgusting for you to kiss another guy? We're best friends so I figured that we'd be able to kiss with no-_

Sasuke brusquely cut off Naruto's speech as he grabbed onto the back of Naruto's head to pull him closer, eliciting a gasp out of the other. He leaned in to have his forehead make contact with Naruto's own – eyes to eyes, lips to lips. Naruto conspicuously shivered and Sasuke smirked, his breath brushing over Naruto's chapped lips.

_You better not regret this _– was what Sasuke whispered before he dived in hungrily, claiming Naruto's lips with his.

A strong sensation made Naruto's eyes shut abruptly, Sasuke's following suit. Once their lips had met, Sasuke felt a huge amount of warmth envelop his frame and it left him desiring for more – the feeling completely foreign yet addicting. He definitely didn't recall feeling anything similar to this when he kissed his past girlfriends.

As for Naruto, kissing Sasuke felt like a sudden gust of fresh, cool air. It seemed as if the heat of his body was leaving him and he didn't know whether he liked it or not. He curiously probed at Sasuke's lower lip with his tongue and pulled back, emitting a low moan when Sasuke gently nipped at his upper lip.

After a while, the two drew away – Naruto panted for air while Sasuke inhaled much softly. They still stayed close, lightly breathing against each other as their eyes remained covered. Somewhere in the middle of the kiss, the distance between them appeared to have disappeared. Sasuke's arm that was previously unoccupied had winded around Naruto's waist, and Naruto's right palm ended up on the left side of Sasuke's muscular chest.

As usual, Naruto was the first to talk – _W-wow – _he stumbled – _I…_

_Shut up _– and Sasuke went in for another kiss.

It would've been impossible to prolong their friendship after going through something like _that. _The boys agreed it was about time they'd bring their relationship up a notch – and a big one at that.

Sasuke and Naruto hadn't come out with their coupling to Iruka and the other residents of the house until a year and a few months later; became publicly affectionate towards each other in school much after. The two were relieved (mostly Naruto was) when their housemates supported them, some even stating that they've seen it coming.

Naruto half jokingly stated one time that love between an angel and a devil would probably end in a disaster. And Sasuke honestly didn't know how to reply to that. It was exceedingly bizarre how two opposing beings came to fall in love. Was it because they attracted each other with their different traits? Or because they were exposed into a kind of environment where it'd be natural to easily fall in love? Or was it-

Sasuke couldn't bring himself to care anymore when Naruto pulled him into a kiss - into his heated touch. They decided that as long as it felt right, they will try their best to keep it that way.

* * *

><p>Another three years later, Sasuke and Naruto were informed by their kind that they have yet to fully become a devil or an angel – that they were merely apprentices.<p>

Naruto was notified by a messenger angel when he was alone in the bathroom. To say that he was mortified is a definite understatement. The messenger shamelessly flew in while he was taking care of personal business and the fact that the other angel was female only heightened Naruto's embarrassment tenfold. The courier simply stayed pacified as she handed Naruto an orange envelope and disappeared. Inside the envelope, there was a single sheet of paper that informed Naruto of his upcoming exam. It stated that if he was to pass, then he'd become a full-fledged angel and be able to live in the heavens. The thought of clouds, halos, and a never-ending sun enticed Naruto at first, but then he realized that he wouldn't be able to bear living without his partner. He'd rather die than to be separated away from Sasuke. With his decision final, he didn't take the exam.

Unlike Naruto, Sasuke was informed of his test in more of an aggressive method. He had been temporarily erased from people's memories (except Naruto's) during the time he was sucked into Hell. He met the commanding devil that went by the name of Orochimaru there and noted that the creepy demon was most probably obsessed with snakes. Sasuke was sent back to the human world the next day and Naruto complained about how Sasuke wasn't gone for a day, but for a _week_. Apparently, the time intervals between Earth and Hell were utterly mismatched. When Naruto asked about what went on, Sasuke gave the younger teen a grave look, and Naruto never asked again.

Everything was peaceful and right before _that_ moment came - where blacks and whites collided, feathers unceremoniously carried off with the wind. Uzumaki Naruto had cried for the first time in his life.

Naruto panted heavily from running as he sobbed, watching tragedy unfold ahead of him – _No…_

_Idiot. _Despite the situation (disaster - in Naruto's mind), a small smile dared to rest upon the stern lips of Uchiha Sasuke. That was the only thing he could do as his body dissipated and took on a form of stars – fading from bottom to top – departing the earth to ascend into the midnight skies. Ironic, because devils were never allowed entry into the heavens; even apprentices like himself. Sasuke did nothing but smirk at how easily he was gaining access to the forbidden world, albeit having to lose complete existence before arriving there. _It's worth it – _Sasuke thought. _So Naruto, you better– _

_You better pass that stupid exam and become an angel, dobe _- Sasuke said aloud, with more than half of his body being gone. He didn't bother to contain the dry chuckle that he uttered, seeing no point in keeping up an impassive façade anymore.

Naruto looked up to Sasuke from where he was sitting on the ground with watery, rage-filled eyes. They were weak. _How can I when you're… No, this isn't right! Why didn't you tell me about this, Sasuke? _– he choked at the end of his screech, unable to continue.

The only remaining part now was Sasuke's head and Sasuke knew he'd regret it if he didn't confess the love he's been keeping in for so long. In spite of the fact that the two dated for a long time, they failed to find the courage to proclaim their love for one another.

For coming in terms with his true feelings, the head devils of Hell passed on a judgment to have Sasuke vanish completely – from people's memories and the world. They saw him as a useless being for not having the attributes of being a devil like he naturally should have had. Sasuke clearly remembered the time they tried to give him a chance to prove himself of being evil. He was ordered to destroy the very angel that he was in love with and seeing no other option, Sasuke chose to disobey and face the consequences.

Including the many rules he'd broken, there was no way Hell would've looked past this crime. Falling in love with Naruto just made his situation worse and Sasuke had absolutely no means to escape. Orochimaru planned for Sasuke's demise to happen on the night of a full moon. Sasuke didn't mind as long as Naruto was safe. He didn't mind at all.

Sasuke closed his eyes, letting the warm emotions that surrounded his heart to completely conquer his walls and permanently settle inside. He still couldn't comprehend why devils weren't allowed to love when it felt so good to. As cliché as it may be, It was the best sensation he's ever experienced.

_I love you, Nar_- and he was gone.

…_No _- Naruto breathed out into the tense air, seeming to be on the verge of crumbling at any given time. Along with the tracks of tears that refused to end, white feathers on his back slowly wilted into the black sea (Sasuke's feathers), leaving the scenery to strongly resemble that of an abstract. _Stupid… How can I when you're… _

In the center of the dark ocean, there was a faint glow – _Are you willing to sacrifice your wings to revive that devil? _The voice was that of a woman's. One with high authority. The head angel.

Naruto flinched at the voice, tears still running – _Who are you…?_

_The devil will return, but in the shape of a human. Now, make your wish _– the voice instructed, more loudly this time.

Naruto nodded and he closed his eyes as the remaining feathers drifted onto the floor.

The light in the midst of Naruto's and Sasuke's feathers brightened at a great length, shining amongst the midnight air. It began to dim while an unmoving figure took place of it. Slowly, Sasuke glided down on top of the feathers. He was unconscious, but breathing.

Naruto hesitantly opened his eyes and gasped – tears halted at the corners. He leisurely crawled over to Sasuke with slightly parted lips and positioned a hand onto the left side of the former devil's chest. Relief overcame him when the heart beneath pulsated at a normal rate. He removed his hand and bent down to place his head there as a replacement, laying on his right ear and cheek.

_Idiot, I'm supposed to be the angel here, not the other way around. _Naruto breathed in Sasuke's fresh scent and sighed, happily letting his exhaustion carry him away to slumber.

_I love you, too._

* * *

><p><strong><span>AN: **And here's my first SasuNaru fanfic. Heavy criticisms are appreciated. :)


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